A flotilla of sea turtles on Maui beach

I recently had the opportunity to visit Ho’okipa Beach on Maui. A friend had told me that we might be able to see sea turtles here, a place where they frequently come out of the ocean to rest on the sand. So we went. I was hoping to see a turtle or two, maybe 10, or more if we were really lucky. On the August afternoon we visited there were 53 adult sea turtles crowding the end of the beach. The Turtle Watch volunteer said it was the most he had ever seen. A cord on the sand serves as a reminder to humans to leave the turtles alone as they rest, although people are allowed to walk past them on their way to the ocean. Each of these adults weights approximately 200 pounds. You can find more information on the life cycle of sea turtles here.